Volume 25, Number 1, February 2024

EN:

MOOCs (massive open online courses), because of their scale and accessibility, have become a major area of interest in contemporary education. However, despite their growing popularity, the question of their quality remains a central concern, partly due to the lack of consensus on the criteria establishing such quality. This study set out to fill this gap by carrying out a systematic review of the existing literature on MOOC quality and proposing a specific quality assurance framework at a micro level. The methodology employed in this research consisted of a careful analysis of MOOC success factor’s using Biggs’ classification scheme, conducted over a four-year period from 2018 to 2022. The results highlighted the compelling need to consider various indicators across presage, process, and product variables when designing and evaluating MOOCs. This implied paying particular attention to pedagogical quality, both from the learner’s and the teacher’s point of view. The quality framework thus developed is of significant importance. It offers valuable guidance to MOOC designers, learners, and researchers, providing them with an in-depth understanding of the key elements contributing to MOOC quality and facilitating their continuous improvement. In addition, this study highlighted the need to address aspects for future research, including large-scale automated evaluation of MOOCs. By focusing on pedagogical quality, MOOCs can play a vital role in providing meaningful learning experiences, maximizing learner satisfaction, and ensuring their success as innovative educational systems adapted to the changing needs of contemporary education.

EN:

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) have gained popularity among sales professionals who use them for self-directed learning and upskilling. However, research related to their intentions to continue learning is scarce. Drawing from the social cognition theory, this research aimed to address this gap by investigating the role of task-technology fit, self-development, and social recognition in sales professionals’ continued use of MOOCs. The study hinged on empirical research and used a survey to collect data from 366 sales professionals. The results suggest that task-technology fit, self-development, and social recognition play a significant role in sales professionals’ continued use of MOOCs. The study has practical implications for organizations promoting employee learning and development. The findings provide valuable information for MOOC designers and providers to develop more effective courses that meet the needs of sales professionals.

EN:

This study involved 51 Chinese universities from the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) World University Ranking 2021. With based the resource-based view (RBV) as a framework, it aimed to identify the determinants of human resource capital that were related to universities’ production of MOOCs. Three determinants were detected—size, lifelong learning, and proximity to the political centre. Both size and proximity to the political centre proved to be significant. The findings provide timely implications for university managers and suggest that the variety of management spaces be expanded to increase the portfolio of high-quality Chinese universities that facilitate the production of MOOCs. In addition, universities should increase their proximity awareness to remedy the disadvantages of uneven resource allocation due to geographical proximity.

EN:

The migration to online learning has brought about several new problems. Poor signal quality, large Internet quotas, and device compatibility with learning applications are the most common complaints among students. Additionally, students’ poor self-directed learning skills, the excessive number of assignments given by teachers, and the use of monotonous teaching methods and media are also identified as issues. Therefore, the development of learning media that facilitate students’ learning processes and support their active engagement becomes crucial. This research aimed to develop PDF hyperlink learning media for online Arabic language learning at Madrasah Aliyah Negeri 4 in Hulu Sungai Tengah District, South Kalimantan, Indonesia (MAN 4 HST). The research model used in this study is the 4D model, consisting of four stages: define, design, develop, and disseminate. In this research, layout and accessibility received good validation scores of 4.3, and the presentation of the contents received a good validation score of 4.2. Additionally, the Wilcoxon test results indicated that the use of PDF hyperlink media significantly influences learning outcomes and receives positive feedback from students. Thus, the use of PDF hyperlink media is recommended for educational institutions experiencing digital divides, as well as those implementing asynchronous learning.

EN:

Learners who learn from OER often cannot have their learning assessed or receive a credential. Open credentials offer a potential solution to this problem, combining badges or micro-credentials with competence frameworks and digital seals. This study identified the current situation of open credentials in post-secondary education in Europe, the main themes of the discourse, and the points of agreement and divergence surrounding them. The data comprised a corpus of transcriptions from 12 expert interviews and a focus group. Qualitative text analysis identified the principal themes. Findings included the following: (a) few assessments are available as open content; (b) linking OER and credentials requires detailed and expensive work on learning outcomes and assessment; (c) the aggregation of open credentials to create higher-level qualifications is a widely accepted ambition; (d) the European Union’s infrastructure to support open credentials is appropriate and effective and can foster trust; (e) the outstanding challenges are organisational and practical, not technological; (f) assessment and content provisions should belong to separate organisational functions; and finally, (g) funding and support for open credentials in professional accreditation are essential for further progress.

EN:

In the 21st century, the widespread use of information technologies has made access to technology, technology usage skills, and the quality of technology services increasingly important. However, the digital divide—defined as a lack of access to telecommunications—remains a significant issue that separates developed countries from developing countries. This study aimed to explore the digital divide in open education by comparing the digital divide levels of first term and last term or graduate students enrolled in the Anadolu University Open Education System. The study also examined how factors such as gender, age, income level, and employment status impact digital competency by comparing the digital divide scores of participants in these groups. The findings of the study suggest that first-term students have higher levels of digital competency than final-term students. The study also found that males, people aged 30–40, those with high incomes, and those working in the private sector had the highest digital competency scores. These results can be used to inform the development and implementation of open and distance learning programs to reduce the digital divide, as well as to identify specific groups that may be at a disadvantage in terms of digital competency.

EN:

Engaging with physical education teachers who were compelled to integrate technology into their lessons during the COVID-19 pandemic is crucial to understanding how the pandemic has presented this ‘new normal’ circumstance. It is vital to gain insight into the initial experiences of physical education (PE) teachers who transitioned to online physical education (OLPE) teaching, as well as to identify potential areas for improvement in the future. This study investigated the perspectives of secondary school PE teachers on OLPE teaching during the COVID-19 lockdown, their professional development, online training opportunities and future perceptions. Using a mixed-methods approach, this study analysed data from 35 secondary school PE teachers in Fiji, using Google Forms to collect quantitative data and semi-structured interviews for qualitative data. The quantitative data was categorized by age, gender, school setting, qualifications, and teaching experience, while the qualitative data was analysed by themes. The study found that teachers struggled with OLPE due to lack of preparedness, poor Internet connectivity, and lack of emphasis on PE during lockdown. Despite their readiness, integrating technology remains challenging due to a lack of incentives, limited support, and fear of the unknown. The study emphasises the vital importance of technology in creating engaging and relevant PE experiences and recommends the provision of specialised resources, personalised curriculum guidance, and a change in teacher training institutions' paradigms to incorporate contemporary technological applications in PE.

EN:

As blended learning moved toward a new phase during the COVID-19 pandemic, advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) technology provided opportunities to develop more diverse and dynamic blended learning. This systematic review focused on publications related to the use of AI applications in blended learning. The original studies from January 2007 to October 2023 were extracted from the Google Scholar, ERIC, and Web of Science databases. Finally, 30 empirical studies under the inclusion criteria were reviewed based on two conceptual frameworks: four key challenges of blended learning and three roles of AI. We found that AI applications have been used mainly for the online asynchronous individual learning component in blended learning; little work has been conducted on AI applications that help connect online activities with classroom-based offline activities. Many studies have identified the role of AI as a direct mediator to help control flexibility and autonomy of students in blended learning. However, abundant studies have also identified AI as a supplementary assistant using advanced learning analytics technologies that promote effective interactions with students and facilitate the learning process. Finally, the fewest number of studies have explored the role of AI as a new subject such as use as pedagogical agents or robots. Considering the advancements of generative AI technologies, we expect more research on AI in blended learning. The findings of this study suggested that future studies should guide teachers and their smart AI partner to implement blended learning more effectively.

EN:

As education has evolved towards online learning, the availability of learning materials has expanded and consequently, learners’ behavior in choosing resources has changed. The need to offer personalized learning experiences and content has never been greater. Research has explored methods to personalize learning paths and match learning materials with learners’ profiles. Course recommendation systems have emerged as a solution to help learners select courses that suit their interests and aptitude. A comprehensive review study was required to explore the implementation of course recommender systems, with the specifics of courses and learners as the main focal points. This study provided a framework to explain and categorize data sources for course feature extraction, and described the information sources used in previous research to model learner profiles for course recommendations. This review covered articles published between 2015 and 2022 in the repositories most relevant to education and computer science. It revealed increased attention paid to combining course features from different sources. The creation of multi-dimensional learner profiles using multiple learner characteristics and implementing machine-learning-based recommenders has recently gained momentum. As well, a lack of focus on learners’ micro-behaviors and learning actions to create precise models was noted in the literature. Conclusions about recent course recommendation systems development are also discussed.

EN:

As labour markets undergo rapid and profound transformations, lifelong learning is essential to ensure a responsive, competitive, and skilled workforce. Mature learners are a diverse group, but in comparison to their younger student counterparts, are more likely to have employment and/or caring responsibilities. This field note discusses the development and features of a novel online open educational resource, called At a crossroads: Navigating work and/or family alongside study (At a crossroads for brevity). The resource aimed to assist university students to both learn about the support options available to them as well as to consider how they themselves might make decisions if they experienced a conflict between their student/work/family roles. At a crossroads is innovative in terms of how it was developed (i.e., via survey-based research, story completion method, and consultations sessions with tertiary students) and in terms of what it is (i.e., an online interactive resource that incorporates short dramatizations, social polls, and opportunities to reflect). Our experience in developing this resource caused us to consider how making resources designed to be engaging and informative, while encouraging, positive changes, must be part of the solution. This is especially so when there is significant concern around the overall well-being of tertiary students and their course completion rates. While universities have attempted to offer a range of tools to support their students, on-demand online resources such as At a crossroads are easily accessed, free to use, and deliver content in an engaging manner.

EN:

Learning statistics can be challenging for many students, due to their inability to engage in statistical reasoning and application of techniques. This challenge becomes compounded in online learning contexts where students are spatially and temporally separated from the teacher. This paper describes and explains a case of theory-driven interventions designed to enhance the learning experiences of students enrolled in two similar business statistics units, one for undergraduate and the other for postgraduate programs. The paper based its claims primarily on the analysis of data from a student evaluation of teaching survey. This study affirmed the importance of a pedagogy-first approach. It argued that the interventions, which were effective in enhancing the student learning experience, were underpinned by a robust pedagogical analysis of the teaching and learning issues using both constructive alignment and transactional distance theory lenses.